Rudra woke before her.

For a long moment, he didn’t move at all.

Roohi was curled against his chest, one hand loosely clutching his shirt while soft morning light slipped through the curtains and settled across her tired face. Her hair was a complete mess, lips slightly swollen from all the kisses he had stolen from her through the night, and there were faint marks along her skin that made guilt twist painfully inside him.

She looked exhausted.

And yet, to him, she had never looked more beautiful.

Rudra exhaled quietly, brushing his fingers carefully through her hair so he wouldn’t wake her too suddenly.

“Baby…” he whispered.

Roohi stirred weakly, brows furrowing before she buried herself even closer against him.

“I’m sleeping…” she mumbled.

A helpless smile spread across his face.

God.
He was done for.

Completely.

Carefully, he slipped out of bed, making sure not to disturb her aching body more than necessary. A few minutes later, he came back carrying water, pain relief spray, and one of his oversized shirts.

The second he entered the room again, he froze.

Roohi had woken up halfway and was trying to sit properly against the pillows, only to stop with a soft hiss of pain.

“Aah… Rudra,” she complained instantly when she noticed him. “I hate you.”

He walked toward her slowly, trying not to laugh. “Good morning to you too.”

“My whole body hurts,” she grumbled, glaring at him with sleepy eyes. “I can’t even move properly.”

Rudra sat beside her immediately, the teasing in his expression softening the moment he saw genuine discomfort on her face.

“Hey,” he murmured gently. “Slowly.”

His hands slipped around her waist carefully, helping her sit straighter without hurting herself further. Roohi winced anyway and immediately hid her face against his shoulder in frustration.

“This is your fault.”

“Probably,” he admitted shamelessly.

She smacked his chest weakly. “Probably?”

That finally made him laugh softly.

“I said I was sorry.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“I was going to.”

Roohi narrowed her eyes suspiciously. “Liar.”

Rudra grinned before handing her the glass of water. “Drink first. Then insult me.”

Still half asleep, she obeyed without arguing.

And something about that simple trust nearly destroyed him.

He sat there quietly while she drank, unable to stop staring at her.

At the sleepy irritation in her eyes.
At the way she unconsciously leaned into him despite complaining.
At the faint marks he had left along her skin.
At the exhaustion written all over her body because of him.

Guilt mixed strangely with affection inside his chest.

“Why are you staring?” Roohi asked softly after noticing him watching her for too long.

Rudra stayed quiet for a second.

Then he reached forward, pushing messy strands of hair away from her face with unexpected gentleness.

“Because,” he said quietly, “I think I’m a little in love with you.”

Roohi blinked.

The teasing disappeared from her face instantly.

For once, he wasn’t smirking.
Wasn’t provoking her.
Wasn’t trying to flirt his way out of trouble.

He meant every word.

Her expression softened slowly as she looked at him, vulnerable in that sleepy morning light.

“You’re being unusually sweet today,” she whispered.

“Don’t get used to it.”

A tiny laugh escaped her lips before she winced again from the movement.

Rudra frowned immediately. “See? Stop moving around so much.”

Roohi stared at him in disbelief. “You’re the reason I can’t move.”

“And now I’m taking care of you.”

“That doesn’t cancel it out.”

“Mmm,” he hummed thoughtfully, pulling her closer anyway. “I’ll spend the whole day making up for it.”

She gave him a suspicious look. “That sounds dangerous.”

“It probably is.”

Despite herself, Roohi smiled.

Rudra’s chest tightened painfully at the sight.

He pressed a slow kiss against her forehead before wrapping his arms carefully around her again, this time holding her like something fragile instead of something he couldn’t control himself around.

No urgency.
No reckless hunger.

Just warmth.

Just care.

And the terrifying realization that sometime during that sleepless night, Roohi had become far more than desire to him.